Kudos to Law Enforcement for Getting Their Priorities Right

Not so long ago marijuana robbery victims kept their mouth shut because, if they went to the police, they could end up arrested.  In fact, a car jacking just last week led to the victims being arrested along with one of the perpetrators.  However, here in the North Counties, there is a sense that officers are prioritizing dealing with the violent criminals over investigating those who possess marijuana. Here is a press release that happened Thursday to 4 Hispanic males which illustrates the attitude.

On 01-20-2011 at 2235 hours the above listed victims contacted off-duty Anderson Valley Resident Deputy Keith Squires to report a crime.

Upon contact the victims reported they were socializing inside a Tire shop located in downtown Boonville earlier in the evening.  While barbecuing a meal suddenly without warning three African American adult male suspects entered into the business from a rear access point.

The suspects brandished handguns, pistol whipped each victim and forced them to lay on the floor.  During this time the suspects forcefully took cellular telephones, a wallet containing $3,000 in US currency, jewelry and car keys collectively from the victims.

After obtaining the car keys the suspects gained entry into a vehicle at the shop, which was owned by one of the victims.  The suspects reportedly then took approximately two pounds of processed marijuana from the vehicle.  After committing the robbery, the suspects fled E/B on Highway 128 towards Cloverdale in a burgundy sedan.

This information was broad-casted to Sonoma County Law Enforcement agencies who immediately responded to the area of Cloverdale.

A Sonoma County Sheriff’s Deputy was parked along Highway 101 near Highway 128 monitoring traffic in hopes of finding the burgundy sedan.  During this time, the Deputy saw the burgundy sedan traveling S/B on Highway 101 at speeds in excess of 100 MPH with the absence of lighted headlamps.

For approximately the next hour personnel from the Cloverdale Police Department, Healdsburg Police Department and the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department engaged the burgundy sedan in separate vehicular pursuits.  At times law enforcement personnel lost sight of the burgundy sedan and had to discontinue the pursuit as a result.

During this chain of events Sonoma County Sheriff Deputies were looking for the burgundy sedan in the area of Windsor when they noticed a different vehicle traveling S/B on Highway 101 without lighted headlamps.

A traffic stop was conducted of this new vehicle and Deputies noticed the vehicle was occupied by four African American adult males, three of which matched the physical descriptors of the robbery suspects.

These three males were identified as being Garrett Alexander Bonner, Shawn Delmore Ford Jr., and Leon Samuel Patterson.  It was determined Ford Jr. and Patterson were on active CDC Parole.

Further investigations were conducted by the Deputies and one of the listed suspects was found in possession of a cellular telephone receipt that was taken during the robbery.

A canvass of the immediate area resulted in the Deputies finding the burgundy sedan parked and unoccupied.

Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Detectives responded to Sonoma County and conducted further investigations.  Detectives discovered a second listed suspect was in possession of another receipt taken during the robbery.

Detectives also learned the listed suspects possessed US currency consistent with the type taken during the robbery and that one of the listed suspects was in possession of car keys that accessed the burgundy sedan parked near the scene of the traffic stop.

Detectives conducted a search of the burgundy sedan and located a total of approximately 18-pounds of processed marijuana.  The marijuana was packaged separately in approximately 1-pound bags.

Based upon the preceding information Bonner, Ford Jr. and Patterson were arrested and transported to the Mendocino County jail to be booked on a charge of robbery.  At the request of Detectives CDC placed a Parole hold on Ford Jr. and Patterson.

The driver of the vehicle stopped by Sonoma County Sheriff’s Deputies was determined to not be involved in the robbery and was later released.

Investigations into the robbery are currently ongoing at this time by Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Detectives.  Anyone wishing to provide information in regards to this case is asked to call the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Tip-Line at 707-467-9159.